Vibe coding is a new programming paradigm introduced by computer scientist Andrej Karpathy in February 2025. It involves using artificial intelligence (AI), particularly large language models (LLMs), to generate working code based on natural language descriptions rather than manually writing code line by line
Key Characteristics of Vibe Coding
- Natural Language Interaction: Instead of writing code, the programmer describes what they want in plain English or voice commands. The AI then produces the corresponding code
- Minimal Manual Coding: The programmer often accepts the AI-generated code without fully understanding every line, focusing more on the overall idea and functionality rather than detailed implementation
- Conversational and Experimental: Users interact conversationally with AI tools, sometimes making random changes or providing error messages to the AI to fix bugs or improve the code
- "Code First, Refine Later": Vibe coding embraces fast prototyping, where initial code is generated quickly and then refined iteratively
- Tools: Popular AI coding assistants enabling vibe coding include Replit, Cursor Composer, and GitHub Copilot
Benefits and Limitations
- Democratizing Development: Vibe coding lowers the barrier to software creation, allowing people without deep programming knowledge to build apps by focusing on ideas and creativity rather than syntax and technical details
- Speed and Creativity: It accelerates prototyping and encourages experimentation
- Limitations: AI may not always understand or fix bugs correctly, requiring human experimentation and oversight. The user often accepts code without full comprehension, which can be risky for complex or critical projects
Summary
Vibe coding is essentially a style of AI-assisted programming where the coder "goes with the flow" ("the vibes") and relies heavily on AI to handle the technical coding details. It represents a shift from traditional coding to a more conversational, idea-driven approach facilitated by advanced AI tools
